Americans who had no medical insurance in 1993, when President Clinton launched his crusade for universal health coverage

39 million

Americans who had no medical insurance in 1996

42 million

Additional Americans who were seriously underinsured in 1996

29 million

At current rate of increase, number of years before more than half of all Americans are either uninsured or seriously underinsured

20

Number of other fully industrialized countries that do not guarantee minimum healthcare to every single citizen

0

Annual per capita income in Shanghai

$350

Annual per capita income in New York City

$20,500

Money spent on medical care in Shanghai annually

$38 per person

Money spent on medical care in New York City annually

$3,000 per person

Number of infants born in Shanghai who die before their first birthday

10.9 per 1,000 births

Number of infants born in New York City who die before their first birthday

13.3 per 1,000 births

Life expectancy at birth in Shanghai

75.5 years

Life expectancy at birth in New York City for people of color

70 years

Life expectancy at birth in New York City for whites

73 years

Percentage of U.S. GNP spent on healthcare in 1935

3 percent

Percentage of U.S. GNP spent on healthcare in 1965

6 percent

Percentage of U.S. GNP spent on healthcare in 1995

14 percent

At current rate of growth, number of years before U.S. healthcare costs would exceed nation's entire GNP

75

Percentage by which per capita U.S. healthcare expenditures exceed those of Canada

40 percent

Percentage by which per capita U.S. healthcare expenditures exceed those of Germany

90 percent

Percentage by which per capita U.S. healthcare expenditures exceed those of Japan

100 percent

Primary reason U.S. automobiles are more expensive than Japanese cars considered to be of comparable quality

Higher employee healthcare costs

Year the average Fortune 500 company's healthcare costs are expected to equal 60 percent of after-tax profits

2000

Average amount of time U.S. patients are allowed to speak before being interrupted by their doctors

18 seconds

Percentage of U.S. patients who, once interrupted, go on to finish their statement or question

2 percent

Widely held belief among Americans

The U.S. has the best healthcare system in the world

U.S. rank among world nations in per capita expenditure on medical care

1st

U.S. rank among world nations in malpractice suits

1st

U.S. rank among world nations in infant mortality

25th